Orlando Condo Hotels...
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Condo Hotel - Just another fancy term for timeshare?
Absolutely not. Timeshares and "Fractionals" are completely different from condo hotels or "condotels" as they are sometimes called. So remove from your mind everything you know about time-share and get ready to learn about Orlando Condo hotels, the City Beautiful's most exciting new condo concept.
Condo Hotel History
The condo hotel idea was actually born right here in Florida. A few years back in a suburb of Miami called Coconut Grove, the owner of an apartment building converted its units into hotel rooms, added some basic hotel services, offered to share the income and then sold the rooms individually. It didn't take long for existing hotels on South Beach to realize the potential of attracting new financial investors. This model enabled them to upgrade their properties and increase revenue by raising room rates. The concept proved to be succesful for all involved and was taken to the next level when developers started to build new hotels for the specific purpose of encouraging condo hotel ownership.
In a traditional hotel, rooms are mainly built to maximize space and profit. That's why the classic 350 sq ft, rectangle room with the sqare block bathroom is found all over the world. The condo hotel concept has forced developers to look beyond this; the latest Orlando condo hotels look more like regular condo suites with spacious floorplans. Many contain full sized kitches and the kinds of amenities not usually found in hotels beneath the Penthouse level.
The Condo Hotel Business Model
The first fact to face when considering an Orlando Condo Hotel, is that this is not just another real estate deal. Apart from gaining the bricks and mortar, you're also buying into the Hospitality Industry. The decission which Condo Hotel is right for you should not therefore rely purley on how pretty the rooms are or if this is the place you would like to spend your own vacation. You need to do your homework (or enlist the experience of a specialist condo broker like Condo Metropolis) on everything from who will be the managing company, to average projected room rates to marketing methods, tolocation of your unit within the hotel and of course how the profits will be devided between investor and management company.
Most managing companies operate on a simple profit split. A room gets rented and the revenue is split 50/50, 60/40 or similar to that. Of course, the cost of running the operation is shared as well. Besides a pre-set monthly charge (similar to a condominium association charge), the owner is responsible for taxes, utillites and insurance. Some operating companies have additional charges like an ammenity charges, marketing, sales, furniture maintanance and more.
Some condo hotels will not take a direct cut and let the owner keep 100% of the room revenue. Instead the owner gets a variety of charges for each night the room is rented. These can be based on room size or set in advanced for all units. With all these 
different ways of operating it can be a daunting task to figure out which Condo Hotel is worth investing in. Once again you need all the help you can get, and it's worth finding a real estate agent who's specialises in condos and / or condo hotels.
As with most investments, you have to be realistic with your expectations. With Orlando condo hotels, you'll be one of the first to jump into this new concept. Even with some success stories in other market places like Las Vegas or Miami, you have to bare in mind that the Orlando area has its unique challenges. On the other hand, in a town built on tourism and the second largest convention business in the country, there's every reason to believe that condo hotels will thrive in Orlando.
Good-bye Expedia! I now have my own room to stay in...
The Blue Rose Condo Hotel
Well yes and no. Probably not the best reason to buy into an Orlando condo hotel. Of course, you have the right to stay in your own hotel suite, but in order to keep the operation of the entire hotel running smoothly, many hotels require long notice for your arrival (sometimes up to 6 months). Some places even charge you an operational fee for staying in your own room. And when you stay there you're going to be loosing valuable revenue. It is not unheard of for condo hotel owners to book a room for themselves in another hotel rather than distrupt the revenue stream at their own investment property.
Orlando Condo Hotels: Worth Your Dollar?
As with any other real estate investment, chosing to by an Orlando condo hotel is a personal real estate choice. It may be a fairly new concept, but being on board early could mean greater investment success. A lot of investors love the fact that they have more than a dormant piece of property, simply collecting a steady rent check each month. And of course no need to worry about break-ins, rent collection, repair and lazy management companies.
Orlando condo hotels. Quite possibly the best speculative bang for your buck. Ask Condo Metropolis to help you research which condo hotel might be right for you!
Orlando's current condo hotel opportunities include:
Club Venetian, the Lexington, the Blue Rose, Villa del Lago, Palazzo del Lago Resort and Villas, Imagine at The Westin, WorldQuest Resort, Floridays Resort, the Mona Lisa, Vista Club, The Point, San Marco Resort, Lake Buena Vista Resort and Spa, Ravallo Resort and Spa, Icon Celebration, Meridian Palms, International Plaza, Blue Heron, Bella Casa Resort, Lighthouse Key, Kissimmee Heritage Park, Sage Resort, The Venitian, Club Atlantis, The Palms Hotel, Vista Royale condo hotel.